I've got an 72, 16' Ouachita fiberglass boat and I just saw that my front keel rib is shaved off to where the fiberglass keel rib is nearly paper thin with a couple of holes. The thin area is about 3 inchs long and about 1.5" wide. The base of the keel rib is about 2.5" wide.
Here's my plan. Maybe someone can tell me if this would work or not and what type of cloth or fibers and resins to use.
I'll turn the boat upside down. Then I'll cut out the hole area large enough into the area where the thinned fiberglass starts to thicken (about 1/4" wider on each side and maybe an inch longer on each end than the thined out area).
Inside this hole, behind the fiberglass is the float foam. I plan on cleaning it out about an inch deep and about an 2" wider (1 inch on each side) and longer than my cut out hole. This would give me about an inch lip inside on all 4 sides of the rectangle cut out.
After sanding and cleaning the inner lip and outer hull surface I will start filling with resin and cloth in the recessed hole with cloth wider than my hole. I'll layer the hole void full and then rebuild the entire exterior worn keel length on the outside. On the outside I'll start with a wide cloth and build up with narrower layers until I am satisfied with the keel thickness. I'll probably make it an inch or so thick on the rib itself.
This way the keel would be rebuilt and thicker in the hole area than it ever was. Does this sound like a viable plan?
I've read that repairing with auto fiberglass isn't good. Is there a difference in marine and auto fiberglass?
Would someone suggest the proper resin/cloth combination for my situation? ObviouslyOr any suggestion you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Here's my plan. Maybe someone can tell me if this would work or not and what type of cloth or fibers and resins to use.
I'll turn the boat upside down. Then I'll cut out the hole area large enough into the area where the thinned fiberglass starts to thicken (about 1/4" wider on each side and maybe an inch longer on each end than the thined out area).
Inside this hole, behind the fiberglass is the float foam. I plan on cleaning it out about an inch deep and about an 2" wider (1 inch on each side) and longer than my cut out hole. This would give me about an inch lip inside on all 4 sides of the rectangle cut out.
After sanding and cleaning the inner lip and outer hull surface I will start filling with resin and cloth in the recessed hole with cloth wider than my hole. I'll layer the hole void full and then rebuild the entire exterior worn keel length on the outside. On the outside I'll start with a wide cloth and build up with narrower layers until I am satisfied with the keel thickness. I'll probably make it an inch or so thick on the rib itself.
This way the keel would be rebuilt and thicker in the hole area than it ever was. Does this sound like a viable plan?
I've read that repairing with auto fiberglass isn't good. Is there a difference in marine and auto fiberglass?
Would someone suggest the proper resin/cloth combination for my situation? ObviouslyOr any suggestion you might have would be greatly appreciated.
